A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

Argues that wealth, security, and stability don't necessarily lead to happiness. Rather, being true to yourself and focusing on joy, friends, and love -- and other positive things -- can be the secret to a happy life.

Positive Role Models & Representations

You could argue that Bif is admirable because she seems genuinely happy and not at all affected by fear. She's certainly brave: She jumps into freezing water, dances in front of strangers, and doesn't even seem to be afraid of death. And Charlie is shown to be selfless, going so far as to sell his house to help take care of his sick wife.

Violence

A thief steals a handbag. Minor altercation with a restaurant server leads to a character's arrest. Arguing. Characters die.

Sex

A married man kisses a woman who's not his wife. Woman seduces a man by slowly removing her clothing, down to her bra. A man holds up a package of blue pills (Viagra). Sexual innuendo.

Language

Single uses of "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," and "penis." A use of "God" (as an exclamation).

Consumerism

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Fairly frequent social drinking. A character seems to drink heavily for a time to drown her sorrows, with no consequences. Adult characters smoke pot in two scenes.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Finding Your Feet is a British dramedy about mature folks (including Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, and Celia Imrie) finding happiness through a dance class. While violence isn't an issue, characters do die, there's some arguing, and a thief steals a handbag. A married man kisses a woman other than his wife, and a woman seduces her date by stripping down to her bra; he produces a packet of blue pills (Viagra). There's also innuendo, as well as single uses of "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," but little else. One character drinks heavily to drown her sorrows but eventually stops. Social drinking is fairly frequent, and characters smoke pot more than once. While the characters are likable enough, the movie is very formulaic and overlong; it's unlikely that teens will be all that interested.

What's the story?

In FINDING YOUR FEET, Sandra Abbott (Imelda Staunton) is looking forward to retired life with her well-to-do husband. Then, at his retirement party, she discovers that he's having an affair. She goes to stay with her sister, the free-spirit Bif (Celia Imrie), who lives happily in her average apartment. Bif likes to go on dates, swim in freezing lakes, and take senior dance classes with her friends Charlie (Timothy Spall), Jackie (Joanna Lumley), and Ted (David Hayman). The stiff, elitist Sandra clashes with the kindly Charlie, but when Bif drags Sandra to class, she begins to loosen up. But new love is elusive, as Charlie continues to care for his wife, who's stricken with Alzheimer's, and Sandra's ex-husband starts thinking that he wants her back.

Is it any good?

Another attempt at a charming working-class English comedy in the vein of The Full Monty, this one unfortunately isn't very funny. Finding Your Feet is too maudlin and too long; even the choppy dancing scenes fail to satisfy. Many other sweet, lighthearted movies about amateur dancers have managed to convey joy and freedom, from Billy Elliot to Shall We Dance? and even Cuban Fury, but Finding Your Feet spends only a fraction of its running time on the dance floor. And when it does, the frantic editing ruins the flow. It feels more closed off than freeing.

Plus, while the characters are certainly likable (and the actors enormously talented), the screenplay gives them only the most tentative attempts at humor. Not even the raucous, sassy Lumley gets to do much more than tell a feeble joke. Instead, director Richard Loncraine (of the excellent Richard III, as well as sillier films like Firewall and 5 Flights Up) focuses on scenes that don't seem to lead anywhere. This includes not one but two subplots about sickness (lung cancer and Alzheimer's), as well as a dance performance that has little at stake, and that creakiest of old chestnuts: a last-minute race against time for true love.

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